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SJ Berwin trainees offered Master's option

14 May 2009 | By Corinne McPartland

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Trainee solicitors at SJ Berwin can now complete their training contracts with a Master’s under their belts, thanks to a bespoke programme being offered by BPP law school.

The firm has teamed up with BPP to design a new business programme for its future trainees which, together with completion of the school’s Legal Practice Course (LPC), will lead to a Master’s in Law and Business at the end of their training contract .

Head of learning and development at SJ Berwin Ann Collier said: “Although participation in the programme is entirely voluntary, we expect it to be a popular choice as it gives trainees an important extra string to their bow.”

The programme, which will be sponsored in full by the firm, will include modules on business analysis and business finance as well as an organised placement with a client or related business.

Dean of BPP, Peter Crisp, said: “This is an innovative programme in which formal learning is enhanced with a great opportunity to spend time in a business, focussing on strategy, finance and growth. Uniquely BPP is able to draw on the strength of its Business School to design a programme which will enable SJ Berwin trainees to engage as business people with clients and relate to their work through the eyes of their clients and understand the commercial drivers.”

All of SJ Berwin’s future trainees study their LPC at BPP as part of an exclusive relationship formed with the law school in October 2007.

In a separate move, SJ Berwin has asked for volunteers to come forward from the firm’s Autumn 2009 intake to push back their start dates for six months in return for £3,000.

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Readers' comments (7)

  • Corporate Rainman | 14-May-2009 5:08 pm

    Veyr interesting idea but it could be a case of too much learning too early in someone's career, a part time Masters following qualification would be a better idea.

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  • Anonymous | 14-May-2009 7:52 pm

    I believe it is a brilliant idea. If you are a commercial lawyer in a City law firm, clients expect you to understand their business. Doing a Master's during the training contract would give a trainee a great opportunity to put into practice what s/he learnt. From my own experience I believe that is a very effective learning method.
    Moreover, if a trainee does not feel like committing his/her free time to further studying then s/he does not have to do it because it is optional.

    Trainee at a City law firm

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  • Metallica | 15-May-2009 10:17 am

    Great idea. To emerge after the training contract as a qualified solicitor from a top City firm with a Master’s in Law and Business looks amazing on a CV.
    But the timing doesn't appear right. In addition to working hard during the training contract, a trainee will be encouraged to do pro bono, attend work drinks and attend client drinks. Assuming a trainee wants a life outside of work, where is the room for a Master's?

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  • Graham Hall | 15-May-2009 12:23 pm

    Ask yourself how much profit SJ Berwin made with BPP on this matter. Only fools will take an LLM at BPP. BPP the name says it all.

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  • Anonymous | 15-May-2009 3:10 pm

    How does it help anyone to do a masters in law and business from BPP? Where is this recognised? Which sensible client is going to look at it and think that it adds meaningful value?

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  • Anonymous | 15-May-2009 4:29 pm

    If BPP is good enough for the son of a current Law Lord, then it can't be too foolish.

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  • Anonymous | 15-May-2009 4:49 pm

    I also believe that it appears to be at too early a stage in the trainee's career. It is not possible to get onto a good MBA program in Europe such as LBS with such little real world experience
    Later on I think it would work , particularly if started during the training contract but completed say 3 years PQE, if properly set up it will matter little that I comes from BPP, if it is any good its reputations will spread in the small world of commercial law very quickly

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